Carbamide

Carbamide is a synonym for urea, the excretory product of nitrogen metabolism produced in the liver of mammals following the breakdown of amino acids. Its formation during the fermentation of wines is significant, since it is a precursor of ethyl carbamate, a well-known carcinogen, so winemakers manage fermentation conditions to minimize it. Carbamide is used as a fertilizer and as a feed supplement for ruminants, whose rumen microbes convert it into protein, and it is found naturally in milk at low levels.